muralists

This week Authentically Detroit sat down with Kamau Jawara, the Southeast Michigan Lead Organizer for We the People Michigan. 

Donna and Orlando sat down with Kamau to discuss a thread he created on X, formerly known as Twitter. In the thread, Kamau detailed public safety narratives in the city, their history, and how we should utilize them moving forward into the election season. 

Kamau is a politocultural organizer and storyteller from Detroit’s east side who uses political education and cultural strategy to support concentrations of Energy Justice, Leadership Development, and Co-Governance. If you’re interested in the full thread on X and keeping up with Kamau and his work, click here. 

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Baltimore muralist Jaz Erenberg stops by Mainstreet to talk to Lee and Steve about her background and why community centered public art has the potential to transform a city, even one facing the challenges of Baltimore. Regardless of how you feel about our beloved but beleagured city, it's hard not to root for Jaz, who uses her talents to bring hope and beauty to the city she how calls home.  https://jazerenberg.com/

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In this episode, we decided to do something different, we wanted to reflect back on a few powerful moments that made us stop and think just a little bit deeper. Today, we revisit discussions with Mark Bryan,  Pat Milbery, and Andrea Herron to discover those moments in the conversation that sparked our curiosity on the metaverse, how to encourage passion in others, and the importance of mental health in the workplace. 

Hear the full episodes below: 

Mark Bryan: "The future of design and work." 

Pat Milbery: "Give it all away." 

Andrea Herron: "There's an elephant in your office." (Watch the webinar)

Reach out! Want to ask Doug a question for our next podcast? Leave him a question or comment here. 

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You have to work for your art. Odd jobs help a lot of people out along the way. If this has also been your experience of becoming an artist, that is okay.

Include your followers in the products you make because they are the ones who will buy the finished product. Create the art that makes you happy and at the same time remember who will buy your art. Utilize polls to get the best information if you need input!

Try not to simply follow the trends. Instead you can try to adapt or learn from a trend to your own style and audience.

First impressions are important. You can control the experience your customers have, if you run your own shop. Caring about the little details shows your customers you care about them. When you send something from an independent creator, your customer should feel like they are receiving a gift.

There is more than one way to stand up for what you believe in. Your skillset might lend itself well to making posters to help spread the message, while other people’s talents might be in organising or communicating. Standing up for what you believe in doesn’t just mean talking. Consider how you can use your art to show what you are passionate about and to help to make the world a better place.

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1. As an artist, consider the implications of the art you create. Make your art meaningful and intentional. As designers, artists, human beings - have a point of view. Share your point of view on what is happening around you through your work.
2. Products solve problems. Adam sees murals in this way. Murals are a way to start a conversation and get closer to solving a problem.
3. A lot of things aren’t comfortable to talk about but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about them. You might not feel comfortable painting or sharing a political mural but if the work is important to you, you will find a way to do it despite your discomfort.
4. On NFT - Anything that can give artists more agency is a good thing. For years people didn’t encourage their children to become artists because artists don’t have control of their work, they are at the mercy of the market and the buyer. NFT has the potential to give artists more control over how their work is sold and the price paid by the buyer. On the flip side, the possible environmental impact cannot be ignored.

Instagram: @adamfu 

Website: https://www.adamkfujita.com

1. Very Gay Paint began as an indoor mural project. When you put something up on a wall inside a home it is very different to a print or a piece on canvas. Consider the environment where your mural is going to live. Try to avoid a situation where your mural is fighting with the furniture in the room, or other art on the walls. Make the mural an extension of the interior design, the furniture and the architecture of the home.
2. There is a significant number of people creating murals. Reach out to the community for help and to collaborate with like minded people.
3. Unsure of how to present yourself on social media? Nick and Jenson use their comedy to stand out, but if you are shy, remember -  be yourself and follow your joy. Make content that makes you laugh and that makes you feel good.
4. Cultivate your relationships so that you have time with friends outside of your work. Value yourself as a complete person, not just as an artist.

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1. Always be open to trying new things – you don’t know what new adventure might begin as a result. While living in Brooklyn after a long stint travelling, Brolga took some illustration classes and was pleasantly surprised by how much he liked it.
2. Illustrators and artists are versatile and have to have a lot of strings to their bow. Being able to work from basically anywhere is a very unique position to be in, how can you use this to your advantage?
3. Find your own path. The more people on the path you're on, the less chance you have of standing out.
4. Never forget where you started. and the journey you took to get to where you are today. Before taking commissions for murals, Brolga was out walking the streets always trying to find a wall to paint a character on. To earn a living from his artwork today is the result of passion, perseverance and determination.
5. If you don't have consistent work, you can always make your own projects. This allows you to shape your portfolio without waiting for permission, while also building demand for your skills.

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Check out Brolga's latest exhibition at the Outré gallery

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1. Using your unique life experience to inspire you as an artist gives you a perspective no one else will have. For instance, Wyatt’s background in field ecology with a focus on birds clearly influences his art. Through his ‘day job’ and working with children in nature, he better understands people’s connection with the world around us and how it continues to evolve.
2. Don't be afraid to reach out to people who are a little further ahead of you in their career. Most are receptive to sharing their story, which you can learn from.
3. Listen to your gut about keeping your interests separate to your work. It can be tempting to combine everything you love in your art which might also feel overwhelming when you are starting out. Remember that as the artist, you decide what to share with the world through your art.
4. Keep a sketchbook with you, always. And keep drawing, even when you don't feel like it Is leading to a particular project. Some of your best work might come from an idea that was unexpected.

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1. It is easy to think looking at the social media accounts of your favourite artists that they didn’t go through a period of growth and learning a the beginning of their careers, but that’s where you’re wrong. Every artist will tell you that the first 5-6 years of their career were filled with doubt, uncertainty and hard work. If you want to make a career out of it you have to persevere.
2. We’re at a place in history now where we can see people develop their skills in real time on social media. Consider the artists you have been following over the past number of years and how much they have improved by continually creating and sharing their work.
3. You have to dive into the abyss of  making shitty work until you can make better work. The only way to improve is to practice.
4. If you are feeling uninspired, think about what is weighing on you and let that be your inspiration. Maybe you don’t have any new ideas or motivation, allow that to be the starting point in your creative process.

This episode is the final episode of a series of interviews with artists of Co-Loop, an artist-forward agency built on the foundation of collaboration, community & diverse creative content." We hope you liked the last few conversations. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the previous episodes yet, here are direct links to each episode in the series.

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1. It always seems that art and marketing are on opposite ends of a spectrum but it is possible to blend them. Make your work about things that you’ve experienced, that are relatable to other people and that make you laugh.
2. If you have a great idea that you can’t wait to get started with, ask yourself how you can create a series from this one idea? How can an idea that would result in one post, become twenty posts. Create larger series that help you to batch content and keep sharing with your audience.
3. Check in with yourself before accepting a client's offer. Lauren has a set of 10 questions that she asks herself before starting a project to make sure it fits in with her goals and values.  You will attract the kind of work that you share, make sure you are putting out work you feel good about.
4. Do you need to delegate more? Consider how hiring someone on a freelance basis could help you. The stepping stones to hiring can be small. Brainstorm your pain points to figure out how hiring someone can work best for you.
5. Everyone has a skill they can teach. Teach what you wish you had known 2-3 years ago. There will always be someone who is more of a beginner than you are and who wants to know what you wish you had known when you started out.
6. Just because you are a lettering artist doesn’t mean you have to incorporate lettering into everything that you do. Consider if lettering brings you closer to achieving your goals.

1. Studying in the States can be very expensive. Consider other options, living abroad (like Emily did!) might be a fun adventure which also works out to be more affordable.
2. Figure out what is important to you, what your personal values are and how your art can help to promote this message. This will help to connect you to like-minded artists and people who might like to support your work.
3. Ask other artists to share their pricing with you. The worst they can say is ‘no’ or ‘I can’t share that information with you’.
4. You will make mistakes, you will undercharge but you will learn as you go. Have the confidence in your business to say no to projects that are not the right fit. Believe that more work will come down the line.
5. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Don’t shy away from taking on projects that you are interested in but are outside your lane or the parameters of the work you’ve done before.

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https://www.instagram.com/emily_eldridge_art/

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1. Look at the work that has been done by other muralists in your city or area. What is different and similar in your work? What would make a client want to work with you? Think about what you like to make and what art is missing, the overlap is where you will find your niche.
2. You don’t have to take the traditional path if you’re interested in a specific niche. In this episode Eric speaks about the traditional route for working in skate board merch design and how he has forged his own path to bring together his art and his hobby.
3. Cultivate community in your area, whether it be IRL or online. Lift up others by commenting, liking and sharing their work.

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1. Does your art have a mission? Use your art to shed light on unknown or little known historical figures. Painting the history of a person or place in a prominent spot can begin a conversation about something important that might otherwise be forgotten.
2. Murals are a powerful medium that can inspire people and promote change. Think about what you can do with the skills and talent that you have. Your murals can inspire people long after the project has been completed.
3. Is there enough work to go around for everyone? Don’t allow a scarcity mindset to over take your motivation to paint. Every room has at least four walls.
4. Allow your interests to inspire your murals. Bicycles, sport, water, ocean conservation - the more random the better. Where commercial murals might have a brief to fill, educational and informative murals communicate just one message.

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Follow Celeste on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/celestialterrestrial

Follow Jonny on Instragram https://www.instagram.com/jonnypucci/

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1. As an artist, there are some lessons that are harder and take a longer time to learn. Sharing your artwork without fear or anxiety about how it will be received takes practice and patience. But it will be worth it in the end.
2. There are lots of great ways to sell you art, and it is all about figuring out what is best for you and your practice. For instance, a print-on-demand frees up physical space in your home or studio and also allows people to choose an affordable print of your work that fits best in their home.
3. Start your day with a plan but allow yourself the flexibility to flip the schedule if you feel inspired to create. For some artists the morning is their most creative time, for others inspiration strikes later in the day. Figure out what works best for you.
4. Commit to clear and concise communication with your clients. This can really help to minimize problems and helps them to understand your point of view around pricing if there are changes or more iterations than initially agreed. Know your worth.
5. Cultivate a style with meaning that feels genuine to your beliefs. If you are creating art you feel good about and put in the time, opportunities will come your way.

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1. Create a work space you are happy to spend time in. The ethos in our team is that if you’re going to spend 12 hours a day somewhere, it might as well look nice and be a space you enjoy spending time in. This is a sentiment that can apply to any office or work space or even your home.  

2. Be willing to share your ideas and collaborate. The success of the team at WeWork comes from people being willing to share their ideas and collaborate. Often they get to see their artwork come to life in another city, created by another artist in their own style because they were open to sharing their ideas in the first place.    

3. Celebrate the small wins. Don’t allow progression in your career to overshadow the opportunities to celebrate the small wins along the way. Five years ago you would have been overjoyed to achieve what you achieve today.

4. When people look at murals they want to be blown away, thinking ‘Wow! How did the artist do that?  

5. If you want to create large scale work - create it on your own first. Don't wait for someone to ask you to do it. If that is the kind of work you are trying to attract, you need to show you can do it.  

STAY IN TOUCH

Follow Joe on Instagram -   https://www.instagram.com/joe_geis/.  

Check out Joe's website -   http://www.joegeis.studio/.  

Follow Jeremiah on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/itsjeremiahb/

Have a look at Jeremiah's work online -  http://www.jeremiahbritton.com/.  

Join the @muralists community on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/muralists/.  

Follow @efdot on Instagram - instagram.com/efdot.  

Sign up for our newsletter here -   https://muralists.co/.  
 

1. Value change. Learn from change as often as you can. Even if something is difficult, it may be beneficial to make the leap and try anyway.
2. Allow your style to find you. You have to draw a lot of things you don’t like to find out what you do like. Your earliest jobs will teach you so much about what you do and don’t like, when you have that figured out it will be much easier to choose and create the kind of work you really love.
3. Muralists have so much power to completely transform a space. There is a unique confidence that comes from painting such a large piece of art. Look out for walls that are mutually beneficial for you and the person inviting you to paint.
4. Ask for feedback. In school and college feedback was constant, when you step out as an independent artist feedback will only come your way if you look for it. Find mentors and people to ask for feedback from. Each piece of art is a collaboration between you and the owner of the wall or the viewer of the art, seek out their thoughts.
5. Freelance can be isolating, having mentors and fellow artists that you can discuss your craft with can help ease the isolation.

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Follow Jocelyn on Instagram @jocelyntsaih

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Your key takeaways for today

1. Every time you accept a new project, ask yourself one question - what client is this going to help me to attract next?
2. Plan your murals carefully. Some muralists can walk up to the wall and improvise from the beginning. However if you're a beginner, you don’t have to rely on your ability to improvise. There is only so far you can step back from a mural, you only have your mock up to trust.
3. Murals are transient pieces of work. Your artwork will not live on that wall forever. The nature of murals is that you have to expect it to go away. Document the process from start to finish so that you always have a record of your work, no matter what happens to the wall.
4. Don’t be afraid to explore the world of design on your own. If you feel insecure about not having studied  design or illustration you might often find yourself seeking validation from the outside world. Know your self worth. Use social media for good and seek out others who have worked to succeed without going the traditional route.

Stay in touch:

Follow Jennet on Instagram @jennetliaw

Jennet's website

Follow Eric on Instagram @Efdot

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Your key takeaways for today

1. During some projects you might feel you’re not going to make it over the line. Don’t be afraid of collaboration. What seemed impossible for one person, might be possible with a team of artists. You will learn the most from the challenging projects.
2. Remember the role of the advertising agency. They are hired to create campaigns to sell products. They don’t have an eye for art because they are not artists. You are the artist. Use your knowledge and skills to bring a campaign to life and it will be appreciated.
3. When working with an agency, the budget will almost always be negotiated. Evaluate what you want to do in the long term, does this project help you reach your goal? If you have worked with a brand through an agency and created successful campaigns with your art, it strengthens your proposal when you approach the brand directly to collaborate again.
4. You don’t need to work with big brands to be successful. You might admire an artist online who has a lot of big brand clients but everyone has their own stuff going on behind the scenes. Make projects that allow you the freedom to be creative. At the end of the day, all artists want is the freedom to make the projects that they really feel passionate about.
5. Document your work. Even if you’re doing a small mural or a piece of art, document it. Take photos, record your process, write a blogpost, make a video. Use what you create to make more people aware of your art through social media and your online presence. Ask for permission to get a wall. Even if you’re at home right now, you can still expand your portfolio. Try different mediums and experiment.
6. If you have the hiring power, use it. Watch out for bias and work towards lasting change by hiring diversely, encouraging others and promoting their work. Seek out the kind of people you admire online in your own community. Build a platform that promotes artist’s talent.

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Follow Enriqueta on Instagram @enriquetarias

Follow Eric on Instagram @Efdot

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